1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is generally related to network supported health and fitness systems and is specifically directed to a method and apparatus for interactive IP supported health and fitness systems permitting on-line communication between a user and a central data center.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known to provide health care data management from a remote location via a networked system. Examples of this technology are demonstrated in a group of patents assigned to Cybernet Systems Corporation.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,046 discloses a system for the acquiring medical data from multiple, at-home patient measurement devices and transferring the data via telephone to a remote data management system. The device supports two-way communications between the patient and the database system and is extensible to support multiple plug-in medical devices and devices for patient input or identification. Collection of data is mediated through an interface device that is connected via a digital link to single or multiple patient measurement devices. This interface device is connected to a network via wide area network means including standard phone lines.    U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,375,614 and 6,050,940 disclose a general-purpose system for providing physiological data collection for a variety of medical applications. Programmable input signal acquisition and processing circuits are used so that a plurality of medical signals can be digitized from a common point of contact to a plurality of sensors. A general-purpose data routing and encapsulation architecture supports input tagging and standardized routing through modern packet switch networks. Routing and viewing stations allow for the insertion of automated analysis routines to aid in data encoding, analysis, viewing, and diagnosis.
Other patents generally disclosed networked monitoring systems, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,882 which discloses a portable health monitoring system which may be worn by a patient to monitor specific condition, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,297 which is directed to a device for monitoring exposure and incident information relating to a health care provider.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,607 is directed to a medical screening apparatus for communicating the output of a medical test apparatus to a remote collection site for analysis.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,403,897; 6,511,435 and 6,692,436 show a kiosk type of system for a patient for monitoring specific medical conditions. In particular, the '436 patent shows a system designed to be interfaced with a server basically to determine and monitor a reaction to medication regimens.
While useful as medical application and monitoring tools, the prior art systems do not provide a comprehensive interactive system for wellness and fitness wherein the user, health and fitness professionals and the system interface and interact with one another to provide health monitoring and management.